Introducing...the Bug

[chattiesmom]

Woopsie, my bad - I forgot to:

WELCOME TO YORKIETALK

[BuggieMom]

Thank you all again for the kind comments. I keep reading them aloud to Bug...lol...I know it's neurotic, but I can't help humanizing her, and if she were human, compliments would make her feel better about herself.

It also makes me feel better. I worry about her first and foremost, but I also worry sometimes what other people think...like when I take her to the pet store to pick out toys, I can't help but feel like other people must think I'm a terrible mom because she's so thin. They don't know she's fed the best food I can find (Evo), get's constant vet attention, and that the other furbabies in my home are plush and healthy.

At the same time, I don't explain that she's a rescue either because that kinda feels like I'm betraying her somehow. It's silly I know, but I grew up as a foster child, and I lived in fear of being introduced as the "foster kid." See? There I go projecting my feelings onto my dog! lol

If you knew what I do for a living, you'd understand! LOL

[ladyj]

There is so much more to life than being beautiful and I'm sure your little Bug is very beautiful in her own sweet way. Bless you both.

[labrown]

Originally Posted by BuggieMom

Thank you all again for the kind comments. I keep reading them aloud to Bug...lol...I know it's neurotic, but I can't help humanizing her, and if she were human, compliments would make her feel better about herself.

It also makes me feel better. I worry about her first and foremost, but I also worry sometimes what other people think...like when I take her to the pet store to pick out toys, I can't help but feel like other people must think I'm a terrible mom because she's so thin. They don't know she's fed the best food I can find (Evo), get's constant vet attention, and that the other furbabies in my home are plush and healthy.

At the same time, I don't explain that she's a rescue either because that kinda feels like I'm betraying her somehow. It's silly I know, but I grew up as a foster child, and I lived in fear of being introduced as the "foster kid." See? There I go projecting my feelings onto my dog! lol

If you knew what I do for a living, you'd understand! LOL

Are you a social worker? Ha just kidding. I have a friend who is a social worker and she is the same way with her pets and her friends' pets too!

BTW we all humanize our pups here, I think!

[Sharonandtink]

Originally Posted by labrown

BTW we all humanize our pups here, I think!

Yes, we ALL do!!! Some will even type like their furbutts are talking. We all do it in fun and love for our little babies. Who could blame us?

[LunasMomma]

Originally Posted by BuggieMom

Yes, her thyroid has been checked about once a year since we took her in, and it always comes back well within normal limits. The only test that ever came back anything but perfect was one time when her BUN was like one digit high, but it was normal again on re-testing. Liver function is also fine. All of which is pretty amazing considering she was the product of careless and irresponsible breeding practices.

We did try her on cortizone about a year ago, but it didn't help her gain weight, and it made her incontinent. Poor girl would be sitting next to me, and suddenly lose control of her bladder...she looked mortified!

Since there were no benefits to outweigh the negative side-effects, I weaned her off of it.

Gosh I wish something could be done Not for her looks, but to ensure her a long and healthy life, ya know? You are truly a wonderful human being and Bug is fortunate to have you looking after her

[bettyeanne]

Wecome to YT!! Your little Bug is adorable .. it seems to take such a long time to "recover" from a situation such as she came from. Poor baby, there's no telling what she went through. She looks so sweet! Please tell her that Toto and I love her and send her lots of hugs and sweet puppy kisses!! We had a rescue that was so traumatized from her old life that she had lost her hair ... we thought at first that she had "leather ear". It took her about two years to grow hair back.

Your Ollie is cute as a button. Cats are soooo funny to watch! They act like they have a clown living inside them! Little Ness is gorgeous! My daughter has a Westie named Jackson. He is purebred, registered, etc., but has huge ears!! She told me a few weeks ago, "I don't care if Jack has Dumbo ears, I just love him anyway!"

I do hope you like it here at YT. We will keep little Bug in our prayers ... hopefully she will begin to gain weight again and her hair will improve too. God bless you for rescuing her!

[BuggieMom]

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

Wecome to YT!! Your little Bug is adorable .. it seems to take such a long time to "recover" from a situation such as she came from. Poor baby, there's no telling what she went through. She looks so sweet! Please tell her that Toto and I love her and send her lots of hugs and sweet puppy kisses!! We had a rescue that was so traumatized from her old life that she had lost her hair ... we thought at first that she had "leather ear". It took her about two years to grow hair back.

Your Ollie is cute as a button. Cats are soooo funny to watch! They act like they have a clown living inside them! Little Ness is gorgeous! My daughter has a Westie named Jackson. He is purebred, registered, etc., but has huge ears!! She told me a few weeks ago, "I don't care if Jack has Dumbo ears, I just love him anyway!"

I do hope you like it here at YT. We will keep little Bug in our prayers ... hopefully she will begin to gain weight again and her hair will improve too. God bless you for rescuing her!

Leather ear is exactly what I thought Bug had too! The first place she started losing hair again was on her ears. Then her little naked ears would peel like a bad sunburn (she's never been in the sun since I've had her). My vet has assured me that it's not leather ear; the insides of her ears are perfectly clean. He thinks that the peeling is related to the malabsorbtion.

If anyone thinks this all sounds crazy, please feel free to speak up. You won't hurt my feelings. I started her with her new vet because I thought the other clinic must be missing something. These doctors are human after all. I am wide open to any anectdotal experiences you all may have, and at this point I'll try anything. Other than the weight and thin hair, she seems to be very healthy.

[BuggieMom]

Originally Posted by labrown

Are you a social worker? Ha just kidding. I have a friend who is a social worker and she is the same way with her pets and her friends' pets too!

BTW we all humanize our pups here, I think!

Close! I'm a psychologist (child/adolescent), but I'm currently doing custody mediation.

I constantly have to remind myself that the experts in animal behavior have an entirely different knowledge base, and that just because this or that is true with human beings doesn't necessarily mean it's true of my furbabies!

For example, I actually take my dogs to the vet every 2-3 weeks just to get their toenails clipped...worse...I have to leave the office while they do it because I CANNOT bear to be there in case they yip! My reason...I don't want them to think I had anything to do with their discomfort! My vet cracks up every time I go scooting out of the office because he knows what I do for a living and thinks it's funny that I'm so tough everywhere else, and such a whimp when it comes to my pets.

[Lee B]

Have you tried to make an appointment or get a referral to one of the vets at the school in Chapel Hill? They have some very excellent doctors there, and a teaching college is up-to-date on all the very latest techniques. Maybe an endocrinologist would be able to help? I'm familiar with the school because of their fish vets, but the tour I took one weekend indicates that the staff for furbabies is MUCH more entailed. They have equipment I have no idea the use of!

I'm sure they'd love her story. If nothing else, get a bunch of really cute sweaters and keep her dressed like a Chinese Crested!

[BuggieMom]

Originally Posted by Lee B

Have you tried to make an appointment or get a referral to one of the vets at the school in Chapel Hill? They have some very excellent doctors there, and a teaching college is up-to-date on all the very latest techniques. Maybe an endocrinologist would be able to help? I'm familiar with the school because of their fish vets, but the tour I took one weekend indicates that the staff for furbabies is MUCH more entailed. They have equipment I have no idea the use of!

I'm sure they'd love her story. If nothing else, get a bunch of really cute sweaters and keep her dressed like a Chinese Crested!

I actually did ask my vet about sending her to Chapel Hill or Raleigh for an evaluation. He said that he's seen other tinys like Bug before, and has referred them to teaching hospitals for evaluation, and that each time it has come back as a problem with malabsorbtion. He says the key is that all of her blood work comes back normal and her heart is strong, so that rules out pretty much everything other than digestion.

He did say that if the Prozyme doesn't help, he is always happy to make a referral. But he also reminded me that this may just be the way she is going to be, and that putting her through evaluation after evaluation when all of her vitals are saying she's healthy is kinda twisted.

That's why I'm hoping that maybe someone who's managed to get hair and weight back on a tiny in the past might see this and say, "oh yeah, you gotta get her some [insert holistic suppliment here].... that stuff is like a miracle in a bottle!"

[IluvLucy]

Your little Bug is precious Her story 'bout made me cry! What a beautiful, huge heart you have.

Ollie and Nessie are gorgeous, too, but Bug is just "special".

Her face is so expressive I look forward to seeing more pics and reading about your furbabies.


WELCOME!

[patty58]

Welcome to YT. I am just now seeing this as I have been busy with a sick grandbaby. I think your little bug is precious. You are an awesome person to take her on and give her so much love....but with that cute little fact how could anyone resist.

[ace611]

aww! Bug is BEAUTIFUL! i wish you and her the best of luck! You are giving her just what she needs! love and attention and a great home! Best wishes!

[parker]

OMGosh your Bug is BEAUTIFUL, your story made me cry...bless you and your Bug's heart, like many have said there is a special place in heaven for you both!!!